[NTLUG:Discuss] OT: Cryptography Key Length

[Leroy Tennison]

Dennis Rice wrote:
> Just wanting to start a general topic discussion regarding encrypting of 
> a message.  I am assuming that all have some familiarity with GPG (alias 
> PGP) in the open source world.
>
> The old legal limits to encryption using a symmetric key was 56 bits, 
> and is now 128 if I understand correctly.  Today, I am under the 
> impression that an asymmetric key is equivalent to a shorter symmetric key.
>
> In presenting the GPG process in class the other day, I observed that 
> the new limits to GPG for key length was between 1024 and 4096 bits (it 
> use to be 768 to a "recommended" 2048, default 1024).  I attempted to 
> create a 8192 bit key, and the gnupg software said no (nicely), so I 
> chose a 4096 key length.
>
> OK, all that is great, but how does that fit into the limitations 
> presented by the law?  There are distinct reasons for limiting the key 
> length by the government (no opinion presented), and I thought it was 
> 128 bits.  So how does one have the right to create a 4096 bit key and 
> not have the feds coming down on us?  I sure would hate to see a 
> limitation to encryption placed on us by limiting the encryption key, 
> but at the same time, I more dislike the idea of some drug dealer or 
> terrorist sending encrypted messages back and forth using a large key 
> under gpg.
>
> Hopefully a general discussion that might be of interest to more than 
> just myself.  Appreciate your discussion.
>
> Dennis
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>   
Rats, I was reading an article on the Web yesterday where there was a 
warning about 1024 bit keys becoming insecure in a few years.  Did I 
bookmark or otherwise note it's location?  Of course not!